Headlight connector



Sgpt. 22, 1942. 'R. N. FALGE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 9} 1940 Patented Sept. 22, 1942 I 2,296,633 HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR Robert N. Falge, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application December 9, 1940, Serial No. 369,170

2 Claims.

This invention had to do with connectors such as are used to detachably connect electrical wires and terminals.

The object of the invention is to provide a connector so designed that it cannot be im-' properly applied to the cooperating terminal. The improved connector consists essentially of an insulator having a passage therein in which is housed a clip secured to one of the connecting wires, the clip comprising cooperating blades normally yieldingly urged toward each other. Difficulty is often experienced in inserting the connector over the terminal as the terminal may engage between one of the blades and the wall of the passage instead of between the two blades. 1 have found that this difliculty may be readily overcome by so shaping the clip and the passage that the terminal can be insertedonly between the blades.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the improved connector applied to the terminals of a headlamp bulb.

Figure 2 is a front view of the connector,

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view of a modified form of connector.

In Figure 1 the connector indicated at is shown applied to the terminals l2 of bulb ll mounted in reflector IS. The bulb l4, reflector l6 and the cooperating lens, not shown, may form part of a sealed lighting unit. Terminals I! take the form of flat blades as shown and are adapted to be engaged by clips l8 secured to the ends of conductors 20 mounted in passages 2| in insulator 23. The clips shown consist of one-piece stampings including a central sleeve portion 22 from which extend laterally the opposed blade portions 24. These blade portions may be yieldingly urged toward each other by u-shaped springs 26 as best shown at the top of Figure 3. The spring. arrangement illustrated is described and claimed in the prior application adjacent the conductor with the walls of the socket 34 adjacent the passage 2| but this engagement does not take place until the return tion of Robert N. Paige and Charles E. Wade,

S. N. 360,756, filed October 11, 1940.

The portions of the blades opposite the clips 26 are bifurcated and bent back upon themselves as indicated at 28, the return bent portions torming spring members the tree ends of which engage shoulders 30 formed in passages 2|.

Attention is particularly called to lugs 32 formed on insulator 23 and extending between the bifurcations of the blades.

In assembling the connector, clips l8 are secured to the ends of the conductors 20 by soldering or the like and the U-shaped springs 26 are then secured in place as shown. The clips with the conductors attached are then inserted from the right as viewed in Figure 3 into passages 2| in the insulator. The inward movement of the clip is limited by engagement or the porbent portions 28 have snapped into engagement with shoulders 30 thereby preventing withdrawal of the clip. When the connector is applied to the terminals l2 it will be apparent that the terminals can only go between the blades 24 inasmuch as lugs 32 prevent their entering between the blades and the sides of the passages 2|.

In the modification shown in Figure 4 instead of bifurcating the lateral portions of the blades 24 these portions are reduced in width, as shown, and the passage 2| is shaped to provide shoulders 40 which serve to prevent terminal I! from being inserted anywhere except between the blades.

I claim:

1. In a connector the combination of an insulator having a passage therein, a clip in said passage comprising opposed blades having return-bent portions having their free ends engaging the walls of said passage so as to yieldingly urge the blades into engagement with each other, said blades being adapted to receive the terminal between them, the bent over parts of said return-bent portions being exposed at one end of said passage and having recesses therein, and opposed projections on said insulator at said end of said passage extending into said recesses and spaced apart to permit the terminal to pass between them into engagement with said blades but obstructing passage of the terminal between the blade and the adjacent wall of the passage.

2. In a connector the combination of an insulator having a passage therethrough. a shouloer on the connector extending into said passage intermediate the length thereof, a clip in said passage adapted to be connected to a conductor, said clip comprising opposed blades having retum-bent portions having their free ends engaging the walls of said passage so as to yieldingly urge the blades into engagement with each other, said ends seating on said shoulders so as to prevent withdraw-a1 oi the clip from the passage .in one direction, said insulator being provided with means engaging the clip and preventing its withdrawal from thepassage in the other direction, said blades being adapted to receive the terminal between them, the bentover parts of said retum-bent portions being exposed at one end of said passage, said returnbent portions having recesses therein, and opposed projections on said insulator at said end of said passage extending into said recesses and spaced apart to permit the terminal to pass between them into engagement with said blades but obstructing passage or the terminal between the blade and the adjacent wall of the passage.

ROBERT N. FALGE. 

